The present invention relates to a power distribution panel.
Electrical circuit panels such as power distribution panels typically include a number of different circuit elements such as fuse holders and fuses, circuit breakers, input and output connectors, and alarm signal LEDs. For safety and other reasons, the electrical circuits of power distribution panels are enclosed within a housing structure. Therefore, the circuit elements listed above have typically been inserted into holes which have been pre-cut or pre-punched into the housing structure, usually on a front or back panel of the housing structure. These prior circuit panels are fixed in that once the holes are formed in the housing, the type and arrangement of the components is limited.
In order to manufacture different fixed circuit panels of the prior systems, a circuit panel manufacturer would punch out different patterns of holes in the front or back panels of the housing structure in order to accommodate different arrangements of circuit elements. Significant retooling time and costs are involved for offering different fixed panels. Assembly of the circuit elements is also difficult when the elements are inserted through the holes. There is a need for further circuit panels which allow for more efficient manufacture and use.
In the event that the circuit elements or circuit board contained in a circuit panel catch on fire, it is important that the circuit panel seek to contain the flames within the panel to prevent further spread of the fire. The circuit elements and circuit board, however, must be cooled during normal use to prevent damage due to overheating. There is a need for circuit panels which allow for cooling of the circuit components and which also contain flames in the event of a fire.
The present invention relates to an improved circuit panel chassis for use with a circuit panel such as a power distribution panel. The chassis has a top, bottom, front and two side surfaces. The top surface defines a plurality of parallel slots. In a preferred embodiment the slots are angled relative to a line perpendicular to the front surface.
In one embodiment the angled slots defined by a first half of the top surface are angled in a first direction. The angled slots on a second half of the top surface are angled in the opposite direction from the line perpendicular to the front and back surfaces as are the angled slots in the first half of the top surface.
In one embodiment the angled slots in the top surface are located in a back half or quarter of the top surface. The back half or quarter of the top surface is the portion of the top surface furthest from the front surface. In an alternative embodiment the angled slots in the top surface are located in a front quarter of the top surface. The front quarter of the top surface is the quarter of the top surface closest to the front surface.
In a preferred embodiment the bottom surface also defines a plurality of angled slots. The angled slots in the bottom surface may be located in a front half or front quarter portion of the bottom surface. The front half or front quarter portion of the bottom surface is that half or quarter of the bottom surface closest the front surface. When configured with a top surface with angled slots in the back half or quarter portion of the top surface, the chassis allows cooling air to flow from beneath the front portion of the chassis through an interior of the chassis where it cools the circuit board or other circuit components and out the back top portion of the chassis. Alternatively the angled slots in the top surface may be located in the front half or quarter of the top surface, and the angled bottom slots may be located in the back half or quarter of the bottom surface.